Joco Today

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. delivered a heartfelt speech during a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee hearing, where he discussed the severity of Long COVID and its personal impact on his own family. Senator Marshall urged federal health agencies to prioritize diagnostics and treatment for Long COVID, rather than focusing solely on COVID-19 vaccines and boosters.

Senator Marshall expressed his frustration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for their emphasis on vaccines, rather than investing in research and awareness for Long COVID. He shared his personal experience, stating, "One of my loved ones is one of those 16 million people who suffer from Long COVID, incapacitated for some two years." Describing the symptoms, he likened Long COVID to a lingering case of Mono, with symptoms such as brain fog, aches and pains, and nerve-related issues.

The senator raised important questions that remain unanswered, such as the effect of early treatment with medications like Paxlovid on reducing the incidence of Long COVID. He also questioned whether vaccines increase or decrease the risk of Long COVID, and whether individuals who have already had COVID-19 are at a higher or lower risk. Senator Marshall emphasized the need for a focus on diagnosis and treatment, rather than solely relying on vaccines.

Another aspect that Senator Marshall addressed was the origin of the COVID-19 virus. He criticized the Chinese government for withholding information about person-to-person transmission and the virus's origin, stating, "If we would have had the vaccine earlier, how many Long COVIDs would we have prevented if we knew that this was person-to-person transmission, which the Chinese certainly did by then, if we would have known this was person-to-person transmission, that this came from a laboratory, that it was a superbug, maybe we could have prevented some of these 16 million people."

Highlighting his commitment to addressing Long COVID, Senator Marshall mentioned his past support for the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, which allocated nearly $1.2 billion to the NIH for Long COVID research. While he acknowledged the NIH's initiative to conduct clinical trials and identify risk factors and causes of Long COVID, he expressed concerns about the lack of prioritization in delivering treatments quickly and addressing the underlying causes.

Senator Marshall's efforts to combat the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were also highlighted. He played a key role in the passage of the PREVENT Pandemics Act, which applies lessons learned from the pandemic to prevent future outbreaks. Additionally, he supported the reauthorization of the Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act, which requires federal health agencies to coordinate their efforts to address Long COVID.

Senator Marshall's impassioned plea for greater focus on Long COVID diagnostics and treatment during the HELP Committee hearing shed light on the ongoing challenges faced by millions of individuals suffering from this debilitating condition. He emphasized the need for comprehensive research, timely treatments, and a better understanding of the origins of the virus to prevent future outbreaks and mitigate the long-term effects of COVID-19.